Friday 19 April 2024

Today is Friday 19 April, in the 3rd week of Eastertide.

The community of Taizé sing: Seigneur, tu gardes mon âme. ‘Lord, you watch over my soul. You know my heart. Lead me on the road to eternity.’

(Lyrics currently unavailable)

Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.

In today’s reading, we join Saul on the road to Damascus, the reading is divided into shorter sections, and as we listen you are invited to follow Saul as one who travels with him.

As we make our way through the passage in stages, begin by listening, and imagine the road to Damascus… what does it look like? And what is it like to be travelling with Saul?

Acts 9:1-20

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, ‘Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?’ He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.

What is this moment like…a flash of light as Saul falls to the ground, powerless… what do you want to do?

Hear Saul asking the question, “Who are you, Lord?”

The men who were travelling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

As one of those with Saul, take him by the hand and lead him. Feel his vulnerability in suddenly becoming blind. Walk with him now, towards Damascus, and towards a house.

Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, ‘Ananias.’ He answered, ‘Here I am, Lord.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.’ But Ananias answered, ‘Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.’ But the Lord said to him, ‘Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.’

As you walk with Saul, the Lord has gone ahead of you, in a vision to Ananias, a man who is willing to obey the Lord’s request but is afraid of Saul and the evil he has done to the Saints in Jerusalem. As you enter the house in the city and wait with Saul, how do you think he feels as he waits?

So, Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’

‘For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, ‘He is the Son of God.’’ What is it like to witness this change in Saul, as he turns from being persecutor of Christians to being a friend and witness of Jesus?

End your prayer time today, reflecting on ways that following the Lord has brought change in you.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.